Babe Soulmate
by MomofPhoenix
Summary: This is a Soulmate AU. Steph meets Ranger for the dirst time in college. It is a oneshot for now, but has potenial to be built upon. It is a Babe story.


A/N not mine, I own nothing but the plot.

 _Quick note, I am working on What the Heart Wants and a Babe story *Title to be determined*, but life has a way of throwing a wrench in plans. I apologize, but look for the next chapter of WtHW by this weekend._

 _This is a Soulmate AU oneshot, yes it is a Babe, and yes it is slightly open ended so it may or may not be built upon at a later date. I've been reading JadeHo's Plum/Avengers crossovers again which inspired this one. If you haven't read her work, please take the time and do so. She is amazing!_

Babe Soulmate

I am Stephanie Plum, an eighteen year old college student away from home for the first time. The thrill of having escaped my Mother's grasp and ranting for, as she would put it, my perversions is incomprehensible for anyone else. You see, like most people in the world I have platonic and a romantic soulmate. The problem lies in the fact that I have twelve platonic soulmates. I've only ever met one, my best friend Mary Lou. In this society most people only have, at most, three sets of grey hand writing to signify their platonic designation and one set of black (occasionally two).

What is written is the first words spoken to you by your soulmate. My Grandma and Grandpa Mazur think that I have so many, because I have so much love to give. My Mother, however, believes that it's because I will have sex with all of them. I like to think it's because they all need someone in their corner. Some of the phrases seem so sad and lost that I just want to hug them and tell them that everything will be alright. My romantic soulmate seems like he will be comforting me after a bad experience, which has me slightly worried to be honest.

Anyway, I've gotten slightly off topic. I have been lucky enough to afford my own studio apartment not far from campus. I also have a job filing at a law office not far from my place part time that I start next week. My Dad and grandparents just left after helping me get settled in and I am, for the very first time in my life, living on my own. When I saw the time I realized why I'm so hungry, it's nearly 8pm and I haven't had anytging since breakfast. Looking out of my studio window I spy a pizza place and decide that I deserve a small treat. As I'm locking up I notice one of my neighbors doing the same.

Just as I turn to leave I hear, "Hey Beautiful! Want to grab some dinner across the street with me?"

I let out a slight groan, because of course the gorgeous blonde with the sparkeling green eyes would be one of my platonics. "As long as you keep calling me beautiful, handsome," was my reply.

He let out a delighted laugh before speaking again, "you're on beautiful. Lester Santos is my name by the way."

"Stephanie Plum, and it's nice to finally meet another one of my platonics."

"It's good to finally meet the last of mine. How many more do you have to meet?"

"If I tell you, you can't run screaming. Deal?" I ask cautiously.

He eyes me warily but nod in agreement.

"Ten more platonics and one romantic."

"Ehh," he shrugs his shoulder, "not so strange. My cousin is the same, but he has only two platonics left to meet and his romantic. He's waiting at the pizza place for me, we're sharing the two bedroom apartment here. Maybe he's another platonic of yours. Why don't you join us and find out."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt."

We make our way over to the pizza joint and Lester tells me all about his romantic soulmate and how they are planning to get married after college. It's actually very sweet.

As we step into the joint the back of my neck starts to tingle and I can't stop myself from rubbing it. Lester is directing me to a table where I see a guy doing the same thing with a slightly dazed look on his face. Just before we reach the table the distinct sound of a gun going of and glass shattering has all of us hitting the floor. A large body is covering me and I hear it, "Babe, are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere are you? Please be okay."

I could only blink at the man who is my romantic soulmate. The man I knew would love me no matter what happened. He helped me up when everything was clear and I found my voice at last, "I always knew you would be my hero."

He slowly began to grin and pulled me closer to him. It felt like electricity running through me as he touched my face gently then lowered his head towards me. The kiss was so soft and fleeting that I nearly missed it. The moment was broken by Lester as he dragged us outside to give our statements.

When all was said and done I had learned his name and that he was two years and two months older than me. I also learned that he didn't think I was strange and was pretty sure he knew a few more of my platonics.

Ricardo Carlos Manoso was the man that fate had set me with and my Mom was going to have a fit.


End file.
